The Hornets fans were fearing the worst after the club opted to cash-in on top-scorer Marvin Sordell on transfer deadline-day.

Sordell had stepped into Danny Graham’s shoes and looked to be the man to fire Watford to safety.

But his sudden exit has seen the club clinch back-to-back wins to ease relegation fears.

After netting two goals against Barnsley, Eustace said: “It’s been a great week as we have produced two great wins.

“We have a very strong group and when players leave we stick together and it makes no difference.

“We saw the desire of the team. It’s an important season for the club.

“We have a new manager and new team and he’s building.

“If we can stay in the league this year, next season we should be in good stead.” Watford skipper Eustace, 32, broke the deadlock with a fine turn and strike in the 33rd minute before bundling his way through some powder-puff tackles with 68 minutes on the clock for his second.

Adrian Mariappa showed once again why Watford fought so hard to keep him in the transfer window.

But the Tykes lived up to their billing as the league’s most inconsistent side and they scarcely deserved substitute Scott Golbourne’s 85th-minute strike.

Barnsley new-boy Golbourne, who joined from Exeter, says the result took the gloss off his debut goal.

He said: “I was pleased to get on the pitch, let alone score.

“It would have capped the day off nicely if we’d picked something up.”